Quote:

The tube amp won't clip in the same manner as a solid state amp. I wouldn't be concerned about damaging the speakers with the tube amp.

However, you'll be drawing excessive plate current if your amp is not rated for 4Ohm speakers and you'll be replacing tubes frequently.



Hey good point Mojo. There is a big audible difference between the hard clipping of a solid state amp and the soft clipping of a tube amp. In both cases you are running out of headroom. In the case of the SS amp you fall of the square waveforms very quickly and the noise is very annoying. With a tube amp the soft clipping and longer roll off the round waveform can actually sound pleasant depending on how many second order harmonic components are generated. Though even with tubes the sound gets more distorted quickly as the volume goes up.

25W doesn't leave much headroom with the 80s but it may work with the 60s depending on the quality of his tubes and the circuit design. You'll know when your tubes start to degrade by that dull film like sound and the tubbier than usual bass. I have had several tube preamps and amps and tube rolling can be addictive, not to mention expensive and occasionally inconvienient. These days after much experimentation, I run a tube preamp and a SS amp in my 2 channel system which gives me the best of both.

Good choice Tamzarian.

John